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The Secret and the Law of Attraction
What's good and bad about it

This article refers to the book and film, The Secret (links to the first 20 minutes free in YouTube).

An empowering idea
For over a century, popular self-help "gurus" have promoted the Law of Attraction: What we focus on is what will manifest in our lives, they teach.

I believe it's often true on a deep, spiritual level. "Ask and you shall receive," the Bible says. Jesus also said, "If you have enough faith, you can move mountains."

Skeptical?
Even if you question this, there's plenty to gain from an optimistic attitude. It will inspire you to seek and find opportunities others overlook. It can motivate you to keep working towards your highest goals. All this greatly increases your chance of success.

The Law of Attraction says the Universe exists to grant our highest desires. I prefer to call our creator God, but I find the Law of Attraction is working for me.

Whatever your beliefs, I invite you to try it for yourself.

The Secret
You might start with this film by Rhonda Byrne.

The first 20 minutes are on YouTube, and I recommend watching the whole DVD. (I got it free from the library.) I find this text summary, “101 Quotes from The Secret” is also helpful. And here's a gently animated version of that text.

I don't fully agree with The Secret, but I've still been inspired and uplifted by its ideas...

What we believe makes a big difference in our lives. The film (and it's also a book) raise very good questions, including: What if you could completely change your life?

And we can add: What if we can help change the entire world?

I believe we can, and I experience more good things every day. I think you can, too.

A dark side
The Secret also promotes what I think are overly materialistic objectives: larger houses, bigger cars, more travel, etc.

Material things have value, but we also live in a world where 1 billion people go hungry. Rapid, unsustainable use of natural resources causes serious pollution and climate disruption. For these reasons and others, excessively materialistic goals are open to question.

Some say this "have it all" thinking helped fuel a Griftopia on Wall Street, a housing bubble and the Great Recession. A sense of unlimited entitlement can threaten everything from relationships to our national government and the entire planet.

The Secret claims that protesting what we find wrong in the world only gives the problems more energy. That is true at times, for example when violent protesters seem to justify resisting them.

But until there's a more just distribution of food and other vital resources (there is plenty for everyone), and until there are better sources of clean energy, just ignoring big problems is not the solution. In fact, I think it's part of the problem. And, as history shows, protest movements often bring much greater justice.

Other laws
The film can leave some people thinking the law of attraction is all they need. But even the film points out that they're other laws, such as the law of gravity.

There's also karma. Together, let's create some very good karma. Better yet, let's just do good and not waste our energy worrying about karma.

The downside of getting everything
I’ve often gained more good - and been moved to do more for others  - when I suffer setbacks, frustration, cruelty, pain and disappointment. None of this was welcome when it happened, but maybe it’s better to be open to it.

Also, if people are suffering, it’s all to easy to blame their stinking thinking, and ignore how our being selfish or shortsighted allows - and sometimes helps create many of the world’s - and our own - problems.

Be careful what you wish for. Maybe that's more than a cliché.

Spiritual treasure
Some consider it heresy to teach that serving God brings worldly, material. prosperity. While I don't consider myself a fundamentalist, it certainly seems that the most valuable things in life are not big houses, fancy cars, etc.

A much better priority is a life of love, service and connection with the spiritual Source of everything (I call this great being God). I believe we continue way beyond this life, but even in this world, I've often seen how people suffer from their selfishness. I've also seen people, including me, find true joy and spiritual peace through seeking higher, better things.

The upside
Still, with a bit more thought, we can use the Law of Attraction to help create better lives for ourselves and a more just, sustainable and beautiful world.

That's where you come in!

     -Bill

PS: I invite you to consider a free, introductory life coaching session to accelerate your progress.
 

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